Ballast working implement and method



April 25, 1939.

P. P. JARGICK BALLAST WORKING IMPLEMENT AND METHOD Filed Jan. 9, ,1935

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 25, 1939` BALLAST WORKING IRIPLEMNT AND METHOD Peter P. Jargck, West Chicago, Ill., assigner to Electric Tamper & Equipment Company, Ludington, Mich.

Application January 9, 1935, Serial No. 969

2 Claims.

'-Ihhe mainY objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a ballast working tool which is especially well adapted for loosening the ballast n between and under railway ties.

i i Second, to provide means in an implement of this character for preventing the ballast stones from wedging between the picks thereof.

Third, to provide a new method and means for cleaning and servicing ballast by vibrations of 1g high frequency.

Fourth, to provide a ballast working tool which is of very large capacity and highly efficient for Y' the purpose intended and at the same time is n easy to operate.

Fifth, to provide a novel and improved method of loosening or bleeding the ballast between r railway ties.

' Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description so to follow. 'Ihe invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a prefered embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a ballast working implement embodying features of my invention in operative relation to the ballast f of a railway.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of the implement, parts being shown in vertical section. Fig. '3 is an enlarged view in front ele-vation of the tool proper.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates the ballast for the cross ties 2 of a railway, one r'all of which is shown at 3. Where crushed rock ballast is employed, the voids between the rocks gradually fill with4 fine 'material such as clay, cinders,

i coal dust and tffe like, and as moisture accumulates forms binder which very tightly binds together the crushed rocks. Therefore, when a tie is 'to be renewed, the first operation is to pick `this packed ballast loose on each side of the tie fas well as at the ends, cutting an opening through what is termed the shoulder of the ballast. It

is also found necessary at certain times to loosen .550 the ballast between and under the railway ties 4to insure proper drainage of water. In the past, 'this has been done mainly by means of hand picks,

a very laborious and expensive operation, and sometimes expensive screening steps are em- $5 ployed. I aim to provide a method and mahll@ (Cl. 14H-13) b-y means of which the ballast can be. more efciently and effectively loosened and Vscreened or freed. from the fine dirt that has accumulated.

To this end, I provide a ballast Working implement 4 comprising a handle 5, a'vibrating motor 5 B, a blade-like tool holder or shank 1, anda forklike tool 8. The handle consists of a pair 'of spaced bars 9 connected by cross pieces IIJV and Il, the handle bar or grip I2 being secured between the upper ends of the bars 9. The handle 10 carries a support member I3 of flexible material having one end looped around the cross piece II and the other end looped around the cross piece I4 carried by the slide I5. The slide is provided with outwardly facing channel portions I'I em- 15 bracing the bars 9, the slide being adapted to be adjusted by means of a bolt I8 arranged through the cross member I9 to tension the support member I3.

The motor 6 has a housing I9 provided with 20 attaching ears 2D which are secured to the support member I3 by means of clamps 2l, these clamps and the clamping bolts 22 thereof engaging the ends of the strap constituting the support member I3, as shown. The shaft 23 of the 25 motor has an eccentric or unbalancing weight 24 thereon so that during the rotation thereof high frequency vibrations are imparted to the blade 1 and fork 8. The flexible support member I3 provides a shock or vibration absorbing means 30 for the handle bar I2 without materially decrease ing the efficiency of the implement.

The to'ol holder blade or bar 'I is rigidly at= tached to the end of the housing I9 opopsite the Support member I3 by means of bolts 25 extend- 35 ing through the ears 29 of the housing. The helder 1 is thus clamped in place between the flat plates 21 and 28. The holder 1 is preferably of resilient material to increase the effectiveness of the device in operation.

To the lower end of the holder 1, I mount the tool 8 by means of the rivets 29, the tool being of substantial thickness and having spaced picks, tines, or prongs 30 for coaction with the ballast I. To prevent the stones in the ballast from wedg- 45 ing between the picks 39, the outer ends of the latter are flared at 3l so that their inner ends are spaced farther apart than their outer ends. The prongs of the tool are thus made self-cleaning. The working ends of the picks or prongs are preferably sharpened as shown by Fig.4. In operation, the prongs of the tool constitute a plurality of picks which are rapidly vibrated from-the vibratory device. In renewingold or deive ties, renewal gangs equipped with my implements "are able to perform four times more Work than when equipped with old-fashioned picks.

When the ballast becomes foul or lledwith binding or filling substances and hardlens, it ceases to perform its function as a means of draining excess Water, and Water pockets are formedjbeneath they ties. Each time a train passes overthe' tie, it is depressed and pumps the water and mud to increase the pockets under the tie, resulting in time in a very rough, uneven track. To correct this situation, my implements are utilized in loosening the ballast at the tie ends and beneath the ties to a suicient depth to drain the water. This operation is termed bleeding the ties and is a very important fac' tor in the maintenance of rock ballasted railways in coal hauling territory. With my implements, this operation may b'e performed eight' times faster than with old-fashioned picks. I'he implements are highly useful and efficient where complete'rcleaning of the ballast is desired.

The high frequency Vibration of the prongs of the tool' automatically sifts the cinders `and smallV particles through the rock ballast to a p oint belowY the bottom of the ballast section, thus maln'ng the usual forking and screening operations unnecessary in most cases.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which I have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my 5 improvements as may be desired.

Although I have shown andA described a certain specific 'embodiment ofl my invention, I am fully awarei that modificationsthereof are possible. My invention is therefore not to be re- 10 stricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and. by the spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: y

1. Inaballast Working implement of the character set frthfatool comprising a yoke having a plurality of spaced prongs projecting therefrom, the' ends of said prongs being sharpened and 20 flared laterallytoward each other to prevent the Wedging`V of ballast stones therebetween in operation. f n n 2. In a ballast Working implement of the character setforth, a tool comprising a yoke having a plurality of spaced. prongs projecting therefrom., the ends ofsaid prongs being flared laterally toward each other. y

` PETER P. JARGICK. 

